Etre
by stylishkiller
Summary: Duo, the Angel of Death, must prevent a war betwen Earth and the Colonies. But what happens when he falls in love? Shonen ai - 1+2, 3+4 soon to come. Chapter 3 is up! R & R please.
1. The Assignment

Disclaimer: I'm sad to report that I don't own Gundam Wing. But I think that you all knew that.  
Notes:   
1). Shonen ai. 1+2, 3+4... the rest to be determined later.  
2). When I mention 'planes' I mean those of existence, not sources of transport.  
3). This is being written by an insane, culturally confused teenager, who was exposed to too many different religions - namely me. Don't get offended, and if I do offend your religion, which I don't mean to, I'm sorry.  
4). I'd love some feedback. No one has proofread this (yes, be afraid, be very afraid). And I do appreciate constructive criticism and enjoy receiving flames.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 - The Assignment.  
  
I was absolutely, utterly furious.  
I'm a bloody immortal! I'm eternal! I'm the Angel of Death, albeit in training! So why the hell must I go to school, much less get these exasperating assignments?!?  
The small, leather-bound mission folder was clenched in my right hand, with the name 'Duo Maxwell' perfectly stencilled upon it in neat calligraphy with gold ink. The way that my name was written only served to aggravate me all the more - couldn't anything in this place ever be less than perfect?!  
A hand appeared upon my shoulder... I growled and slowly turned around, counting till ten, in a last ditch effort not to blow up at whoever was behind me. I loathed being touched. There were just the two beings allowed to even come close enough to me, and just about everyone around here knew that. I was relieved to discover that the person attached to me was one of the two.  
He was a golden blond, with clear aqua-coloured eyes, milky white skin, as well as tiny white, fluffy wings that complemented his bright aura and went magnificently with his Renaissance cherub look. He was Quatre, the Angel of Compassion, like me in training and one of the best friends I had upon this plane.  
"Calm down, Duo. Your aura has become all blood reds and dark ominous browns, plain for all to see. Relax. Its just another assignment. Anyway," He held up his own folder, a bit different from mine, to show me, "you'll have me for back-up."  
"I'll have to have a body, of all things! And I'm not even allowed to bring my flaming sword, or the scythe..." I trailed off, seeing the horror and humanity of it all. Finally computing the last bit of the information he gave me, I smiled and instantly got my hopes up - "Does that mean that you'll be coming along with me?"  
His simple, one syllable answer of "no" dashed the much-improved picture.  
Another hand landed on my shoulder. I spun around, and saw the Angel of Justice (in training), my other roommate and friend, the only other one, besides Quatre, who was allowed to lay a finger on me. Wufei looked as detached from it all as usual, as he held up a folder just like Quatre's.   
"I am to assist you as well," he said with no emotion whatsoever.   
"So neither of you is coming with me..." I couldn't help whining. "How will you be able to assist me?" I was puzzled, baffled and confused - I admit it.   
"You're to contact us and use us for guidance and support," they said exactly at the same time and exchanged a look, something passing between them that I couldn't read. Quatre continued, while Wufei kept silent - I guess they had reached some unspoken agreement. "The mission you were given is very tough, usually not given to those in training. It is vital that you succeed, or the balance of good and evil will be shifted. You must stop a war between the Earth and its colonies on the 1st plane."  
I shrugged. There wasn't much I could have said.  
The sweet blissful sounds of a harp alerted me that I must not dally. With a fierce brotherly hug from Quatre and a casual clap on the back from 'Fei, I rose to go.  
"Take care," said Quatre and Wufei echoed him with a "Be careful". And on that note I turned on the charm, grinned and blinked out of existence.  
  
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So what did you think?  
The second chapter is coming very soon. It will make many things clearer and will include a Duo meets Heero scene ^-^! Tell me if you'd like to be notified. 


	2. The Boy

Disclaimer: I'm sad to report that I don't own Gundam Wing. But I think that you all knew that. So the evil lawyers will all have go away now. *smiles evily*  
Notes:   
1). Shonen ai. 1+2, 3+4... the rest to be determined later.  
2). When I mention 'planes' I mean those of existence, not sources of transport.  
3). This is being written by an insane, culturally confused teenager, who was exposed to too many different religions - namely me. Don't get offended, and if I do offend your religion, which I don't mean to, I'm sorry.  
4). Thanks to Aurenne and Middleman for talking me through some bits of the story.  
5). I'd love some feedback. No one has proofread this (yes, be afraid, be very afraid). And I do appreciate constructive criticism and enjoy receiving flames.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2 - The Boy.  
  
The golden glow of the inter-plane portal abated around me and I found myself, the thrice damned folder and the 'Divine Being's Book of Conduct' clutched within my hands, in a grand chamber. I was on the lunar colony of the first plane, where negotiations were to take place. The ceiling of the chamber was exceptionally high, the walls painted in demure shades of warm beige, faintly glistening with gold. As the enormous oak door opened, a faint echo filled the room. An attractive, beautiful, young, dark man strode through it, flashing me an engaging smile.  
"So, you are Duo Maxwell," he said upon reaching me, firmly shaking my hand. For once I didn't flinch. There was something about this man, that I couldn't help smiling back. "Forget all that you think you know about me, just call me Solo."  
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir," for once I wasn't lying.  
"None of this 'sir' business - it makes me feel old, and I'm barely three years your senior." Well he was oh-so-wrong on that one.  
"Alright, Solo," I said as we casually clasped hands again and another smile passed between us. In that moment I knew that whatever else this mission might bring, it would be a pleasure working for this man.  
  
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Solo and I quickly became friends, spending much time after work together, talking or playing chess. He was quite the strategist, and taught me much about life and living. I guess I became more than a mere assistant, for quite often he asked upon me for opinions and suggestions.  
Life on the physical plane wasn't going too badly. The worst part of my job was all the hand shaking, but I guess I accepted touch more readily in this form than in my astral one. And there were some definite advantages - like sleep. Total abandonment, could never be achieved up there, but here I welcomed it and the dreams it brought. For the most part I dreamt of a slim boy with the most beautiful blue eyes. A boy who was my other half, who knew my pain, knew my true self and still loved me.  
  
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The attack came unexpectedly. The windows exploded, and shards of glistening glass and deadly bullets flew all over Solo's office. He had been standing right near the larges of them. I was by his side the second before the pandemonium began, throwing myself on top of him, covering his body with mine. If he dies, I would fail my assignment, and the repercussions on the peace talks would be dire.   
The last thing I could remember was pain. Terrible pain, and blood, my blood enveloping me.  
  
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I woke up in a room with an unfamiliar ceiling, which smelled strongly of antiseptic. Quatre was sitting by my bed, holding my hand and Wufei was bandaging me, somewhere where I couldn't feel. In my confusion I smiled at them both, not comprehending that they shouldn't be here, on this plane.  
There were definite disadvantages to having a body. This situation proved it.  
  
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I was back on my own two legs, swathed in bandages, and swearing to myself never to enter another hospital as long as I lived... errr... existed. This living thing was getting to me. Well sort of back - mostly being dragged around by Quatre and 'Fei, who were calling themselves male-nurses.   
Taskmaster-Zechs (read Angel of Revenge), sent the two of them down in a bid to make up for not foreseeing that the forces of darkness would interfere with the negotiations. Also he felt that it would only complicate the matters if I was left to bleed to death as I wasn't allowing anyone come close enough to touch me, much less, bind my wounds. So, Quatre and Wufei were here, only for a day, but it was nice to see them again, I really had missed them.  
  
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Everything was back to "normal". Quatre and Wufei had gone, and Solo, who had not been unharmed during the attack, was still promoting peace. The year was AC 179, and this was the biggest gathering of its kind to date. The official part of the conference was about to begin, and ambassadors from all over the Earth as well as the colonies were arriving by the thousands.   
And that's then I saw him. A boy, of around 18 years of age, slender, with messy locks of dark brown hair, and prussian blue eyes, the like of which I had never seen, except in my dreams. He was an assistant of one of the other leaders of the colonies, and he was... beautiful.  
  
  
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Till the next chapter, I'll leave it up to you, to guess the identity of the boy.  
  
Kay, how was that? Please tell me, I need to know if it is all making sense / why not. Any suggestions for what should happen? Should I go on with it? 


	3. The Introduction

Disclaimer: I'm sad to report that I don't own Gundam Wing. But I think that you all knew that.  
Notes:   
1). Shonen ai. 1+2, 3+4... the rest to be determined later.  
2). When I mention 'planes' I mean those of existence, not sources of transport.  
3). This is being written by an insane, culturally confused teenager, who was exposed to too many different religions - namely me. Don't get offended, and if I do offend your religion, which I don't mean to, I'm sorry.  
4). Thanks to Aurenne, lora-helen, lillie chan, Sakura Yuy and Phoenix for reviewing!   
5) I'd love some feedback. No one has proofread this (yes, be afraid, be very afraid). And I do appreciate constructive criticism and enjoy receiving flames.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3 - The Introduction  
  
  
  
I lay sprawled on the bed thinking about him. The boy with the lapis lazuli blue eyes, dark silvery aura and the messy brown locks of hair. I had been obsessing over him for well over a week now, and it seemed that this new strange passion arising within me was not ready to abate. If anything it seemed to be growing.  
  
In a bid to focus on something else other than the silent, charming boy, whose name I didn't even know, I tried to remember my own life, one that had long since passed. The one thing I remembered was my demise...  
  
I had been a pretty kid, looking much as I do now - impossibly long, silky brown hair, deep amethyst eyes, tall, slender, to the point of almost looking fragile, but minus the blood-red and midnight-black wings of the Angel of Death, that weren't visible in this physical form anyway. I recalled a girl, my best friend. I recalled being betrayed by her then she found out that her love for me was unreturned, unrequited. I recalled her rage upon realising that I was more likely to lust over the boy next door (boy, was that guy a hottie!) than over her. I remember every moment of torment. Torture. Unmeasurable, unbearable everlasting pain. I evoked the memory of standing at deaths door and... ...forgiving her. Forgiving her for ruining my existence forever more. Forgiving her, while promising myself that never would another being touch me without my consent.  
  
Woke up on another, a higher, plane, an Angel. An Angel of Death to be more precise... Oh-all right. If we have to be technical, I woke up an Angel of Death in training. An outcast even amongst them, for they were the Angels of Happiness, Wonder, Love, Ecstasy... Loneliness for eternity was my constant companion, then I met Quatre and 'Fei. Everything changed after that. And for once it was for the better.  
  
But... I still don't trust almost anyone. I cannot bear the touch of another being. It took a millennium for Quatre and Wufei to befriend me, and another before I stopped shying away from their small reassuring touches, their gentle hugs. Those two became my friends for eternity, displacing the loneliness. For them I would be willing to go to the bottom of the underworld - just to make them smile, if nothing else. They had their own painful stories, but those are not for me to reveal.  
  
  
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I got out of bed, shocked upon seeing that the sun had risen. I hadn't had a wink of sleep, yet a new day was here, and time for me to rush and do more menial tasks for Solo. Get his dry cleaning, make a fresh batch of coffee ( I couldn't live without that stuff!), take down messages, make appointments. Maybe I'd catch a glimpse of the boy.  
  
And I went right back to the same subject that had kept me up during the night. I didn't know if there were names for the emotions that I was experiencing. But I knew that I hadn't felt anything like these... well ever. I knew some of the other angels did, they sang about them, looking at each other like there were no other beings in all of heaven, their auras merging and enveloping them until it almost seemed that the two became one. But I never had any such experiences. I was always of the spectators. Never a part of such scenes.  
  
I got to the office, shared a smile with Solo, sorted through the tower of Babel, also known as the paperwork. Informed Solo of his appointments, told him of the things he must keep in check and continued running the errands... I had done this everyday, it had all become almost a ritual to me, the only break I had was the day, or so, that I had spent in the hospital.   
  
  
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It was almost midnight and Solo and I were still in his room, playing chess and sipping of a very temperate, comforting, dry red wine from tall crystal goblets. The room was quite large, furnished with dark antiques, crimson wallpaper and velvet curtains covering the huge windows that gave a wonderful view of the beep blue sea that stretched out for miles. At the moment that view gave out onto a night of the full moon, into a darkened sky filled with glittering, shimmering stars that were reflected, in a never-ending black pool of the ocean beneath them. The flames warmly in the fireplace illuminated the room softly, while sending warm, twitching shadows flickering playfully on the walls, thus giving the room an ethereal, unreal, feel to it. There came a quiet, authoritative knock on the door, and Solo rose to answer it.  
  
In came Doctor G., one of Solo's advisers, and with him another man, dressed in a simular lab-coat to that of Doctor G., as well as the boy. The boy who had driven me to distraction by just smiling at me across a crowded room.  
  
The other man was Doctor J., an adviser to the leader of the L1 colony, and the boy...  
  
"My name is Heero Yuy. It's a pleasure." Was that he had said... his eyes twinkling like newborn stars. So was our introduction.  
  
  
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'Kay - the two great lovers of our time have met, now where does the complication lie?  
Stay tuned for the next chapter ^_^! That is ... if you think there should be another chapter.  
Any comments? Any suggestions? Tell me what you think! 


End file.
